TRE BECK

DALTON, Ga. -- For a running back with nearly 3,000 yards rushing over the past two seasons, Tre Beck feels he still has a lot to prove.

It may have something to do with the Dalton senior's size (5-foot-9, 168 pounds), or the fact he's yet to land a major college offer. Whatever the reason, the productive Beck is determined to leave no question unanswered.

"First of all, as a senior, I want to help lead my team back to the playoffs and hopefully a state championship," said Beck, whose 7-3 team did not make the postseason a year ago after falling to Gilmer County in the Region 7-AAA play-in game. "As for the college recruiters, I want to prove to them I can give even more effort. That's all I can really do."

He's already proved he can run -- Beck was clocked below 4.5 seconds in a 40-yard dash this summer -- and he knows schools such as Georgia, Georgia Tech and Tennessee are showing interest. What excites Beck the most about his crucial final season in red and white is the presence of new offensive coordinator Bill Napier, who will bring a hefty dose of the veer and different ways to use his top athletes.

"We're going to run more spread option and I'm going to be in the slot more," Beck said. "This offense is going to give me more opportunities to get the ball. We're all very excited because Coach Napier knows how to pick defenses apart."

Though the offense has only scratched the surface of what he hopes it will become, head coach Matt Land has already seen enough to know that Napier will get the most out of the team's biggest weapon.

"That's the great thing about those old offensive minds: They've dreamed of players like a Tre Beck, and I think he has a keen eye of knowing how to use a guy with that kind of talent," Land said. "He also knows that a guy like Tre can help you even without the ball. It's exciting to see how he's using all those parts."